Container closure and applicator device



Patented Dec. 30, 1952 CONTAINER CLOSURE AND APPLICATOR DEVICE Louise A. Sherry, New York, N. Y.

Application December 4, 1948, Serial No. 63,530 3 claims. (o1. 15g-14.0.3)

rIhis invention relates to a container closure and applicator device particularly adapted for incorporation into a merchandising package comprising the device and a suitable jar, bottle, can or the like.

The object is to provide a device of this character which may be inexpensively manufactured, which is foolproof in operation, which may be easily put into operation without requiring complicated instructions, Vand which may be used by the ultimate customer to remove a portion of the contents from a merchandising container and apply it to the proper surface.

Devices of this type may be advantageously used in connection with jars or bottles of cosmetics, and the present invention is primarily intended for use in this field. However, its features may be advantageously used in conjunction with containers of shoe polish or the like, for example. In general, the invention has advantages in connection with packaging any material of fluent or powdery nature and which material is intended for application to a surface by rubbing, patting and similar methods.

The principles and operation of the invention are explained by the following description and by the accompanying drawings disclosing a device embodying the invention in what is now considered its best form.

In the accompanying drawings the various iigures are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a jar with its top closed by the device and with the device and the adjacent portion of the jar top in vertical section; I

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device removed from the jar;

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2 With the device ready for operation as an applicator; and

Fig. 4. is similar to Fig. 2 but shows a modification.

More specifically these drawings show a jar I which may be of the conventional vitreous type used as a merchandising package for cold cream. The top of the jar is shown with screw threads 2. Some jars are provided with lugs or depressions providing one portion of a bayonet joint or interrupted thread joint.

The device itself comprises a top panel 3 provided with a depending peripheral ilange 4, the lower portion of Vwhich is peripherally bent to provide a thread portion 5 for engaging the threads 2 of the jar l. A short narrowstrip 6 is fastened by a rivet 'I close to the inside vof the -lange 4 with this strip 6 bent down .to'provide a flange extending transversely from the bottom of the top panel 3 and terminating with loo-ps 9 extending transversely of the top panel 3 and olset considerably from the center of this panel due to the shortness and narrowness of the strip 5 and its position.

A lever It is provided in the form of a iiat strip having the same width as the relatively narrow strip 6, but being long enough to extend from the loop-s t clear to the other side of the top panel 3 diametrically opposite the strip 6 and long enough so its end portion II wedges beneath the screw threaded portion 5 adjacent its end I I upon elastic displacement of this screw threaded portion. This action is effected when the lever I0 is positioned by having its opposite or pivoted end provided with loops I2 that are transversely aligned for registration with the loops 9, a hinge pin I3 being thrust through all the loops to provide what is in effect a piano hinge. The loops El and I2 are spaced away from the center of the strips Ii and iii to provide room for a helical torsion spring I4 having one end anchored to the flange 8 and its other end anchored to the lever strip IB and under torsion stress. The arrangement is such that this stress is applied to continuously bias the lever strip I0 outwardly to the position shown by Fig. 3 with the lever strip held parallel the bottom of the top panel 3 only when its end II is wedged beneath the threaded portion 5.

All of the parts mentioned so far may be made of thin gauged sheet metal or relatively thin plastic sheet material. Such material has suiicient elasticity to permit elastic displacement of the threaded portion 5 as required to wedge the lever strip end Il past it. If the jar I has its top provided with the other mentioned types of fastening elements the portion 5 of the closure flange 4 may be similarly shaped and yet procure the same eiiect. In some instances this may require slight rounding or slanting of the parts where they are engaged by the end I I for the purpose of permitting wedge displacement thereof by the application of manual force to swing the lever strip II] past them. It is not desired to have right angular surfaces at this location which would require both hands to elastically displace the flange portion 5 with one hand while moving the lever strip with the other. The idea is to use the fastening shape also as a catch for the applicator lever.

The swinging end of the lever strip IIJ on its is shown as being a fine pore cellulose sponge. This should extend from the end II backwardly towards the hinged end far enough to meet the convenience of the user. It is shown as generally following the contour of the lever I with all of its edges flush with the edges of the latter excepting for its inner edge which terminates short of the hinge elements. The material I should in any event be capable of relatively easy elastic deformation and should be absorbent or otherwise capable of carrying the contents of the jar when dipped into or rubbed onto the jar contents.

As shown by Figs. 1 and 3 the thickness of the material I5 is greater than the height of the flange 8 so that the material I5 is elastically compressed when the lever` strip I0 is swung closed and its end II wedged past the portion 5 that is formed to provide the screw threads or the like. This has the advantage that absorbed material in the applicator element I5 is squeezed out by the compression to a considerable degree. This action is further aided by having the end II of the lever strip IE) positioned as disclosed so its bottom is transverse to the inner periphery of the fiange 4 whereby the applicator is engaged and positioned by the top edge of the mouth of the jar I when the device is applied thereto with the flange 4 encircling its mouth. Practically all jar mouth closure arrangements tighten the top upon rotation, and this action in the case of the present invention fur-ther applies compression to the material I5 and further extrudes the jar contents therefrom after use of the applicator.

The modification shown by Fig. 4 differs in that it has a rectangular end IIa for the lever strip I0. The corners of this rectangular strip are the parts working against the shaped flange portion 5. In the case of the other form the end I I is rounded to provide a single point of contact. I

In both instances point contacts are provided, this having the advantage of providing points of concentrated stress application to the adjacent ange portion 5 for wedging the latter and elasticaily displacing it as required to permit passage of the lever strip end. Thus less force is needed to clip or catch closed or to dislodge and uncatch the lever strip I than would be needed if the latters end II were made arcuate about the radius of the flange portions 4 and 5. In that z event there would be a long line contact which might require more force for operation.

A disk I6 is shown applied directly in contact with the bottom of the top panel 3. This disk I6 serves to keep the jar contents from contacting this bottom. It may also be desirable to coat the applicating end of the lever I0 with a coating I1. For example, this coating I'I may be effected by dipping the end of the lever I0 in a plastic or enamel.

In use the manufacturer of the product applies the closure and applicator to the jar so as to produce a product as represented in Fig. 1. The jar contents may, for example, be cold cream. Face powder provides another example. When the user unscrews the closure and applicator device, or disengages any other type of fastening that might be used, there is plenty of space around the longitudinal edges of the strip lever I0 for the thumb and forenger to pull on it so as to displace elastically the flange portion 5 engaging the lever end I I. Thereupon the spring I4 snaps the applicator to its full operation position as shown by Fig. 3. The user then inserts the applicator into the jar so as to pick up the contents as needed, the applicator then being used to rub or pat on the material. After use the lever strip I0 is swung back against the bias of the torsion spring I4 and its end I I forced past the elastically displaceable catch provided by the adjacent portion of the flange 5. Pressure must be used to do this and this automatically and very naturally compresses the applicator material I5, which is elastically deformable, so as to force out excess material remaining therein. When the closure and applicator device is iinally tightened on the jar top, further pressure is applied to compress the applicator material I5. Thus the latter is automatically pressed almost dry, the extruded jar contents falling back into the jar. This is advantageous because there is less tendency for cold cream, powders and the like to harden or stale when in a large mass than when entrapped as it otherwise would be in the sponge applicator material.

The form shown by Fig. 4 is particularly advantageous in the case of cosmetics applied to the face since the corners of the rectangular end permit working of the cosmetics into the corners of the face beneath the eyes, etc. A pointed applicator could also be used.

I claim:

1. A container closure and applicator device comprising a top panel having an applicator hinged to its bottom with a spring biasing it to swing downwardly therefrom and a releasable catch for restraining it from so swinging with said applicator comprising a lever having an elastic absorbent element on its side opposing said panels bottom and with said catch positioned to operate to maintain compression of said element between said levers side and said panels bottom.

2. A container closure and applicator device comprising a top panel having an applicator hinged to its bottom with a spring biasing it to swing downwardly therefrom and a releasable catch for restraining it from so swinging with said applicator comprising a lever having an elastic absorbent element on its side opposing said panels bottom and with said catch positioned to operate to maintain compression of said ele- -ment between said levers side and said panels bottom, and with said top panel having a depending peripheral flange providing an inwardly projecting elastic lip and with said applicator hinged opposite said lip with its end adapted to swing past said lip upon the latters elastic displacement, whereby said lip provides said catch.

3. A container closure and applicator device comprising a top panel having an applicator hinged to its bottom with a spring biasing it to swing downwardly therefrom and a releasable catch for restraining it from so swinging with said top panel having a depending peripheral flange providing an inwardly projecting elastic lip and with said applicator hinged opposite said lip with its end adapted to swing past said lip upon the latters elastic displacement, whereby said lip provides said catch, said lip being formed as part of a releasable fastening for fastening said closure to a container mouth top, said applicator having a bottom surface adjacent to the inner periphery of said flange, whereby said applicator is engaged and positioned by the mouth of a jar when said closure is applied thereto with said ange encircling the mouth, said applicator comprising a lever having an elastic absorbent element on its side opposing said panels bottom and with said catch positioned to operate to main- 5 6 tain compression of said element between said UNITED STATES PATENTS levers side and said panels bottom. Number Name Date 922,496 Lyon May 25, 1909 LOUISE' A' SHERRY- 5 1,142,356 Neuany June s, 1915 1,172,122 Englund Feb. 15, 1916 REFERENCES CITED 1,324,682 McIntyre Dec. 9, 1919 The following references are of record in the 1,515,334 Clement N0v 18, 1924 le 0f this Patenr 1,534,259 Dempsey Apr. 21, 1925 2,110,461 Chibnk Mar. 8, 1938 

